Field of the Invention
This invention relates to nasal cannulas. More particularly, this invention relates to nasal cannulas that deliver oxygen to a patient's nose and sampling of carbon dioxide being exhaled from the patient's nose.
Description of the Background Art
Representative nasal cannulas for the delivery of oxygen to the patient's nose include two nasal prongs fluidly connected to an oxygen-delivery tube (as used herein the term “patient” refers to humans as well as animals). The nasal prongs are inserted into the patient's nose and held into position by draping the respective oxygen-delivery tubes over the patient's ears. The tubes are typically joined anteriorly under the patient's chin (or behind the patient's head) by a tube clasp encircling both of the tubes. The tube clasp may be slid upwardly toward the patient's ears to take up any slack in the tubes so that the nasal prongs are forcibly held in the patient's nostrils. The sliding tube clasp may alternatively be slid downwardly along the tubes to create slack in the tubes and thereby lessen the degree of pressure exerted on the patient's nostrils. Alternatively, as shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,573,219 and 7,406,966, the disclosures of both of which are hereby incorporated by reference herein, the nasal cannula may be held in position in the patient's nose by a coupler that pinches the nasal prongs onto the columella of the nose.
Improved delivery/sampling nasal cannulas are designed to deliver oxygen to a patient's nose and to sample exhausted carbon dioxide from the patient's nose. Representative delivery/sampling nasal cannulas typically comprise two nasal prongs for insertion into the nostrils of the patient. One prong is fluidly connected to a delivery tube for delivery of oxygen into one flare of the patient and the other prong is fluidly connected to a collection tube for the collection of the exhaled gases to be monitored, typically end tidal carbon dioxide, from the other nare of the patient. For example, the collection tube may be fluidly connected to a capnograph for gas analysis.
Prior art delivery/sampling nasal cannulas typically secure the nasal prongs in the patient's nostrils by draping the delivery tube around one of the patient's ears and draping the collection tube around the patient's other ear. The delivery tube and the collection tube are typically joined anteriorly under the patient's chin (or behind the patient's head) by a tube clasp encircling both of the tubes that allows for tightening or loosening of the nasal prongs in the patient's nose. Representative U.S. Pat. Nos. include 7,383,839 and 6,422,240, the disclosures of both of which are hereby incorporated by reference herein.
During a surgical procedure to the patient's face, many times a prior art nasal cannula must be manually manipulated to avoid the surgical site. For example, if the surgeon is operating on the patient's right cheek, the tube extending from the nasal prong in the patient's right nare over the patient's right ear, must be moved and secured away from the patient's right cheek. Typically this involves loosening the right tube so that it can be moved upwardly (or downwardly) away from the surgical site and then taped to the patient's face away from the surgical site. However, the patient's face, having been prepped with a solution to render the surgical site clean and sterile, compromises the ability for the tape to adhere to the face, sometimes resulting in the tube coming loose and obstructing the surgical site. The loosened tube may also pull one or both of the nasal prongs from the patient's nostrils.
Therefore, an object of this invention to provide an improvement which overcomes the aforementioned inadequacies of the prior art devices and provides an improvement which is a significant contribution to the advancement of the nasal cannula art.
Another object of this invention is to provide a delivery/sampling nasal cannula to deliver oxygen to a patient's nose via a delivery tube and to sample exhausted gases from the patient's nose via a collection tube.
Another object of this invention is to provide a nasal cannula whose tubes are both oriented unidirectionally, either both leftwardly or both rightwardly, from the patient's nostrils such that the right or left, respectively, area of the patient's face remains free of the tubes.
Another object of this invention is to provide a delivery/sampling nasal cannula whose delivery and collection tubes are both oriented unidirectionally.
Another object of this invention is to provide a delivery/sampling nasal cannula whose delivery and collection tubes are both fluidly connected to both of the nostrils such that oxygen is delivered to both nares and exhausted air is sampled from both of the nares.
Another object of this invention is to provide a delivery/sampling nasal cannula that precludes an interruption in oxygen delivery and measurement of ETCO2 during the surgical procedure due to secure placement of the cannula to the columella.
The foregoing has outlined some of the pertinent objects of the invention. These objects should be construed to be merely illustrative of some of the more prominent features and applications of the intended invention. Many other beneficial results can be attained by applying the disclosed invention in a different manner or modifying the invention within the scope of the disclosure. Accordingly, other objects and a fuller understanding of the invention may be had by referring to the summary of the invention and the detailed description of the preferred embodiment in addition to the scope of the invention defined by the claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.